How to Clean Mold in Your Shower

Photo Credit :- Grandmother's Kitchen

How to clean black mold out of your shower? Just follow these simple steps and you should be good to go. We all know that mold can be difficult to get rid of once it starts to set in; that’s why it’s a good idea to clean your bathroom at least once a week, using a basic protocol of wiping all surfaces down with a natural cleaning solution such as equal parts vinegar and water. If the mold is particularly stubborn, however, you might have to add liquid bleach to the mixture, but only in more extreme cases. If you’re using bleach in your bathroom, make sure that you turn your exhaust vent on if you have one, and open any windows to let more air in. If necessary, wear a mask to help filter out the fumes. Next, spray your cleaner onto moldy areas and work it into them using a stiff brush. If you still have mold once you’ve scrubbed these areas thoroughly, then you might want to try these next few steps, which involve replacing the caulking.

Moldy caulking can be a really big problem because the mold tends to root itself so deeply that there’s no way to separate the two. The only solution is to remove the caulking by gently using an Exacto knife or another kind of sharp blade around the shower basin or tile. A flat-bladed box cutter, similar to a window scraper, can also be helpful while scoring it. Next, peel the caulking out – it should lift out easily, but if not, you can use a flat-headed screwdriver to get the rest. Next, prep the entire area for the new caulking. Clean it completely and allow it to dry. Go out and get yourself a tube of silicon-based caulking – if you possibly can, pick out the shower-specific kind that will remain mold-free for several years. This type of caulking will also protect against moisture build-up, but it’s more difficult to work with than latex caulking. For this reason, you’ll want to use masking tape, leaving a half-inch around the area you want to caulk. Apply the caulking by dotting it around the area and then smearing it with your finger until the entire strip is covered. For seamless smearing, try moving your finger in one continuous motion from one end to the corner, then repeat with the other side, and so on, until you’re done. Then remove the masking tape and gently smooth out the caulking lines one final time. Allow for ample drying time before using the shower again – at least eight hours, but preferably 24.

This entire DIY mold-cleaning process will take you approximately two hours. The most time-consuming will be the removal of the old caulking. Once you’ve installed your new caulking and allowed it to dry, make sure you clean it once a week so the mold won’t come back. Should this happen, then apply your bleach solution and allow it to soak in for approximately 10 minutes before wiping it away, and this should do the trick.*